Shoping in Pyongyang

Where to Shop

Shoping in Pyongyang is an exciting thing to do if you like stamps, books, posters, ginseng and originally flavoured liqueurs. Pyongyang is littered with souvenir shops - every site has a small booth selling books, postcards and other trinkets. There are good book shops at both the Yanggakdo and Koryo Hotels and the Foreign Language Bookshop is the best in the city.

The metal badge with the Great Leader's picture printed on it that every North Korean wears is not possible to buy. At the same time there is a different version of this badge which can be bought in most souvenir shops.

Insam (ginseng) is very popular in all stores in Pyongyang. Insam has a high value for all Koreans. You can buy all grades of insam much more cheaply in the South Korea.

Department stores can often be visited if the guides agree, and they can be a fascinating insight into what's available. You'll no doubt be taken to the most elite of stores, however, so don't expect to see many other shoppers.

Next door to the Koryo Hotel there is Korea Stamp, a good place to buy North Korean stamps. T-shirts and postcards are also on sale.

The Mansudae Art Studio is a centralised art studio employing thousands of painters, embroiderers and sculptors. There’s a large selection of socialist-realist art available for sale, as well as more traditional landscape paintings.

Korea International Tourist Service (KITS) has opened a new souvenir shop opposite the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum: twee souvenirs and traditional handicrafts.